Shawano residents can continue to expect the occasional knock on their door, as members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses have recently gone back to door-to-door ministry.
Jehovah’s Witnesses suspended door-to-door ministry in March 2020 due to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the time that door-to-door ministry was suspended, Jehovah’s Witness members instead wrote letters and met virtually for ministry.
“I started referring to it as the big 30 — the 30 months where we weren’t involved in our in-person ministry,” said Jehovah’s Witnesses National Spokesman Matt Oleman. “I think that all of us, regardless of Jehovah’s Witnesses, or otherwise, had a challenging 30 months with the pandemic and everything that was going on.”
The decision to go back to door-to-door ministry revolved around COVID-19 testing, vaccines and other prevention and response prevention methods being more readily available.
“With all of those things, we finally decided after all of those 30 months away, now was time for us to return to really what is core to our goal of reaching people in the neighborhood to try and get them a positive message,” said Oleman.
Oleman said that JW members have been participating door-to-door ministry for close to 100 years. He said that even during wars, the ministry stayed in place.
“A pandemic was something that over those 100 years, at least in this country, was something that we never have faced,” said Oleman. “Really as a globe, I don’t think since the Spanish flu, there has been something that was this significant.”
Going back to door-to-door ministry has been a bright spot for JW members, something that has been received well be the public on a national level.
“I was out there just a few days after we returned,” said Oleman. “One gentleman asked where we have been. That just tells you people were so used to us coming — everyone is going to make the decision of how they feel being approached at their door, but the general consensus from the friends that I have talked to, is that the community is happy to see us back.”
Shawano JW minister Jacob Wheeler echoed Oleman’s words about returning to in-person ministry, saying, that he feels great about going back.
“I was eager to get back preaching that way — that is what I have done most of my life,” said Wheeler. “The first day out I had some nervous feelings, to be honest, maybe wondering if our neighbors would be comfortable or welcoming to us coming back. Due to the nice responses though so far, those feelings quickly went away. It felt normal.”
Wheeler said that Shawano residents can expect the same door-to-door ministry as they were used to before the pandemic.
“I would say that there is not a ton that we are doing differently,” said Wheeler. “We still send the Bible’s message that we really want people to benefit from. The Bible has so many principles that can help during these tough times. Really, due to the pandemic too, we are really focusing on respect for people — giving them that space and asking if they are comfortable.”
The response hasn’t just been positive on a national level, but Wheeler said that Shawano residents have embraced seeing the door-to-door ministry again.
“I think the response has been great in our community,” said Wheeler. “People have been very friendly and welcoming of our visits. Even if they rejected our visit or a future visit, they still express appreciation. That has been encouraging to see that appreciation.”
lreimer@newmedia-wi.com
JW returns to door-to-door ministry
